|
From:Syd Brown , Leslie Carlson , Marcia Diamond , Keir Dullea , James Edmond , Eclectic DVD Dist. ,
|
See Product Page
|
User Rating: Amazon Sales Rank:#32291 |
| | Page: << 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 ... 55 >> |
2 of 2 customers found the following review helpful:
 A Christmas Story. ** Special edition dvd features below**, 2007-07-27
Bob Clark directed this 70s slasher gem and also directed the Christmas classic A Christmas story, along with other notable horror and comedies. In this movie we know very little of the killer, allot of reviewers point out this adds to the mystery and the effectiveness and i would agree. The 2006 remake fills in a back story of the killer and adds depth, but I, like most prefer this and my own imagination. Perhaps this killer didn't get that proverbially red rider bee bee gun for Christmas and angered and unable to take out his frustrations with said gun he becomes a deranged killer.
Bad joke.
I consider myself a horror buff but this title for whatever reason has eluded me and I'm seeing it for the first time,(though if i review i watch the movie fresh anyhow) so I miss out on the effect it might have had on me as a younger kid. Most horror films that are the scariest to us I believe stems from what we saw at a young and impressionable age, when our imaginations were at their peak. However seeing this at 29 years old it still is a terrifying movie. For me the part that grabbed me is when the older woman in charge of the girls says goodbye as they are going off with a search party leaving the old woman alone. As viewers we know who is in that house, and I for a moment thought of any late ominous night i had said goodbye to friends and was alone, leaves you with an eerie feeling. In this horror film the killer isn't trying to get in to get you, he's already there so for us the scary part isn't don't go in the woods or who would go there it is when someone goes to bed, or friends leave then we feel the terror, I think we can relate to that terror. For example think back to when your a child and you saw a horror movie, you really wanted to, you told your parents it's fine and it was. Now it's dark out, soon it will be bedtime and we can't get those horror movie images out of our heads and we panic. Maybe we have some friends over for a sleep over and we watch horror films all night, no big deal, then the next night there gone and were alone now those movies are scary, or even if it's daytime and we have to go into the basement alone to do laundry, maybe we sing aloud la la la calmly walking to put the laundry in then as if were tricking said ghosts we bolt for the upstairs. That's the brief familiar feeling i got when they left for the search party leaving that woman in the house alone, that is where the movie for me got freaky and then didn't let up.
Some have pointed out how Halloween got some of it's ideas from Black Christmas, and that Halloween not Black Christmas is considered such a classic. I would agree Black Christmas could've very well influenced Halloween, but i wouldn't say steal, Halloween is a classic and deservedly so and Black Christmas in any horror forum or discussion is also considered one by most. However i would like to point out a movie i felt did directly take from this that i have not heard mentioned, When a Stranger Calls (1979). Creepy phone calls, a traced call from police, and calls are coming from a second line in the house. I mean now that is pretty specific, almost makes me like When a Stranger Calls less.
Also some things i thought noteworthy, the calls that come are very freaky the voice is reminiscent of the voices Regan would make from The Exorcist in one of her devilish outbursts. Olivia Hussey is one of the sexiest sleepers. The ending is top notch as well. The only hole i wanted to say something about was the fact this guy is on a phone line upstairs screaming but nobody hears him in the house, however the good heavily outweighs the bad, this is a great horror film with good character development, this movie could even spark up a pro life debate.
The real horror is that Bob Clark and his son were killed by a drunk driver earlier this year April 4, 2007. R.I.P
DVD
Special edition dvd
2 hours of new bonus material
Supervised by uberfan Dan Duffin, Creator of the [...] Website
-Digitally re-mastered anamorphic video and newly created 5.1 surround stereo audio
-Two original scenes with a new vocal soundtrack that were recently uncovered
-"The 12 days of black Christmas", an all new documentary featuring current interviews with Art Hindle, Doug McGrath and Lynne Griffin among others.
-Separate interview segments with Olivia Hussey and Margot Kidder
-Midnight Screening Q&A session with John Saxon, Bob Clark, & Carl Zitter
-Animated menus
** Black Christmas is ranked # 87 on Bravos scariest movie moments and When A Stranger Calls # 28, personally they should switch **
Movie 4.5 B +
 Better than the remake...., 2007-07-26
I like this stylish and atmospheric thriller by the director of A Christmas Story, but I didn't like it as I thought I was going too.
I guess I was too excited because of all the hype the movie had gotten.
Don't get me wrong though, I am not all disappointed I purchased it, and it's a masterpiece compared to the remake. I was just hoping for a more shocking film, I suppose.
P.S.-The remake is ok, but that back story is gross....
1 of 1 customers found the following review helpful:
Innovative? Perhaps. Influential? Absolutely., 2007-07-19
This early 70s gem was ripped off by more popular horror films of the late 70s and early 80s, and its a shame becuase it outshines all of them.
I had always maintained that the first half hour of the ORIGINAL "When a Stranger Calls" is one of the scariest pieces of film I'd ever viewed. That was before I saw Black Christmas (which, by the way, predates When a Stranger Calls). When a Stranger Calls starts off very strong and quickly goes down hill whereas Black Christmas goes above and beyond and is consistently creepy without the huge let down at the ending that is typical for many horror films.
There are a few things I didn't like, however. The story isn't completely hole-proof (but is very good for the era). The music/score in times of suspense was annoying as it sounded like someone carelessly pounding on a piano. It was a bit overused. The mumbling/moaning of the killer and his phone calls were like finger nails scratched down a chalk board. These are relatively minor details that do not hamper the effectiveness of this film sending chills down the viewer's spine!
2 of 2 customers found the following review helpful:
This Fun Film from 1974 is The GrandDaddy of Modern Horror Movies, 2007-07-08
This is easily one of the most fun horror movies ever, and one of the most frightening. I would have difficulty watching this alone in the dark. I am fine with "The Exorcist", "The Shining", "Alien", and "Halloween". But not this one. The killer in this movie is too scary. And you hardly ever see him.
It's been referred to as the first true "slasher" movie, although there are more interesting methods of killing here than mere slashing! You can tell that the director really had a good time making this. It shows.
It was so innovative, and so influential on the horror movie genre; you've seen it all before in horror films of the 70's, 80's, and 90's... but those movies all copied from this film.
"Black Christmas" includes techniques and concepts that have since become cliche but were original back in 1974: the unseen maniac hiding in the house, camera angles from his point of view, the disturbing phone calls, very minimal but very effective use of creepy background music, and the solitary female survivor who must try to outwit/escape the bloodthirsty, unhinged psychopath.
There are some truly scary moments (including those really horrifying schizophrenic phone calls about Agnes), but then there are comedy bits peppered throughout. Today's movie audience might not like this original version because it takes its sweet time, relishing and savoring the dread and suspense until the taut climax.
Margot Kidder (Barb) really hams it up playing the brassy, common, boozy, chainsmoking girl. Olivia Hussey (Jess) gives a nice performance. And as her tense pianist boyfriend, Keir Dullea plays the most tempermental musician you'd ever want to meet. I'd never want to be late for an appointment with Peter.
The most exciting moment for me is when the cop on the phone tells Jess to just walk out the front door. That's all she has to do. Just take a few steps and escape. (I will write no further, so the ending won't be ruined for those who haven't seen it yet.)
...And to all a good night.
3 of 4 customers found the following review helpful:
THE BEST SLASHER FLICK EVER MADE!!!, 2007-06-06
I have been watching horror films for as long as I can remember, and this is one of only 2 movies that has ever really scared me(the other being "The Shining"). As time has passed I just remebered it being the best of the "killer in the house movies". As I was browsing amazon I stumbled upon the special edition of this priceless gem and bought it immediatly. I watched it as soon as it arrived, and while watching it, I felt like I was 8 years old all over again.
This is a very simple, but extremely effective movie about a group of sorority girls being stalked by an unwanted guest over Christmas break. Bob Clark creates a very dark and menacing atmosphere and wastes no time in indroducing the killer in first-person perspective(a much copied technique). One of the most disturbing thing about this film is the killer is well defined, but we know nothing about him(other films such as The Hitcher and Se7en use this technique).The only clues we have of the killers motives are the very disturbing phone calls(What your mother and I must know is...What did you do with the baby,What did you do with AGNESS??) Another great plot device is suttle misdirection. The audience knows the killer is in the attic, but BOB CLARK designed the story so the actors and actresses are occupied with other matters(JESS'S conflict with PETER, the child murder, and the climax taking place in the basement, in contast to the killer being in the attic).
This movie pre-dates 'Halloween' by four years, and you can tell that this movie left a huge impression on John Carpenter and it shows in 'Halloween'. Great story, great acting, great editing, I can't say anything about this movie that has not already been said, so let me just say they caught lightning in a bottle with this movie. A MUST HAVE FOR ALL HORROR MOVIE FANS
|
| Page: << 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 ... 55 >> |
|